1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a pet feeder, and more particularly pertains to a feeder for holding food and water dishes which provides for the maintenance of a groomed pet having long ears.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Animal feeding devices are well known in the art. Particularly, feeding devices having separate compartments are widely used in many areas. Such types of separate compartment feeding devices are found in places like zoos or farms, allowing multiple animals individually to feed or drink without interference from an adjacent animal. Feeding dishes for domesticated animals also are well known. Compartmentalized feeding dishes provide a single unit for holding food and water independently, so as to conveniently provide nourishment for the animal. This convenience produces a significant dilemma for the animal owner. The dilemma is, in particular, maintaining animal grooming. For example, a long-eared show dog feeding and or drinking from a dish often will have its ears fall into the dish. The results are quite obvious: after eating or drinking, the owner must clean the ears of the dog. This is an inevitable occurrence each time the dog feeds or drinks. The prior art does not provide any type of feeding device suitable for reducing the amount of time for maintaining the appearance of the animal, or minimizing the attention necessary for maintaining the appearance of the animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 556,900, issued on Mar. 24, 1896, to Don L. Richmond, discloses a combined feed box and manger, in which the manger can be swung out of the way when hay or other feed is fed to an animal. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it has no pivotally moving parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 804,991, issued on Nov. 21, 1905, to John W. Alkire and Jacob Orndorff, discloses a feed trough having a plurality of alternating upward-slanting U-shaped members on the tops of each of two sides, through which animals can feed, and a bottom with a V-shaped cross-section in which food or water is placed. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it has a flat bottom, in which separate food and water dishes can be placed, and the openings through which the animal feeds are also flat and parallel with the bottom.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,172,985, issued on Feb. 22, 1916, to Michael Joseph Hager, discloses a feed rack for calves. The feed rack includes a plurality of vertical partitions for separating the calves during feeding, and a bowl fastened to the rack intermediate each set of adjacent partitions and near the ends of the rack. Each bowl is elevated from the ground on which the animals stand while feeding. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it is designed for only one animal, with space for both food and water dishes provided, with the dishes not being substantially elevated above the surface on which the animal feeds, which is more suitable for smaller animals such as dogs.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,831,593, issued on Nov. 10, 1931, to Frank A. Garvey, discloses an outdoor feeding device for animals that is designed especially for foxes on fox ranches. The device includes a plurality of feeding dishes fixed in place, under a roof on the device to protect the food from the weather, and on a platform elevated from the ground. The instant invention is distinguishable in that it may be used indoors, it is for only one animal, and it has separate openings for a food dish and a water dish.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,584,301, issued on Feb. 5, 1952, to Melroy Sinclair, discloses a moated dog feeder with separate dishes for food and drink that are elevated from the ground. Each dish is protected by a water-filled moat to keep ants and similar pests out of the dish. The instant invention has no moats, but does have sides that can keep the long-ears of a feeding pet from falling into the dishes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,612,137, issued on Sep. 30, 1952, to Charles C. Fuls, discloses a self-feeder for rabbits or other animals, with two oppositely positioned compartments, each having openings with downwardly directed flanges to prevent the animal from scattering the food. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it allows both food and water to be placed in separate dishes, and the openings are in both horizontal and vertical sides of the feeder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,787, issued on Mar. 28, 1972, to Pauline E. Cooper, discloses an adjustable pet feeding stand, the height of which is vertically adjustable. It does not disclose the oppositely positioned openings of the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,335, issued on Dec. 21, 1982, to Allan Livingston, discloses an animal feeder with a cone in the center of a circular member such as a tire. Feed is placed in tale space between the cone and the circular member. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it allows the animal to feed only at specific separate openings, one of which may contain food, while another has water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,907, issued on Nov. 13, 1984, to Steen Blicher, discloses a method and apparatus for feeding animals. The apparatus includes a plurality of separate feeding places in a row, with obstacles designed to encourage the rooting instincts of animals such as hogs. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it is designed to provide food and drink to only one animal, and does not have obstacles to encourage rooting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,691, issued on Aug. 29, 1989, to Lowell A. Mayer, discloses an animal feeder with separate compartments for food and water which an animal can access from the same side of the feeder. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that its compartments can be accessed by the animal only from opposite sides of the feeder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,401, issued on Oct. 9, 1990, to John E. Hellerman, discloses a manger divider that is removably attached to a stall frame and stanchion for livestock. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it does not require a pre-existing manger, frame or stanchion.
British Patent No. 113,855, complete specification accepted on Mar. 14, 1918, to Fleetwood Hesketh, discloses a feeding trough for poultry, with bars over the top of the trough to prevent feed from being scattered. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it is not a trough, but rather a box with oppositely positioned openings to allow an animal access to food and water dishes.
French Patent No. 740,985, published on Feb. 3, 1933, to Robert E. Gardiner, and British Patent No. 389,371, complete specification accepted on Mar. 16, 1933, to Robert Ernest Gardiner, disclose an animal feeder, being a trough with a plurality of compartments, with halters by which the neck of each animal feeding is held, so that it cannot withdraw its head. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it does not have a trough, it is not designed for a plurality of animals, and it does not prevent an animal from withdrawing its head from an opening.
European Patent Application No. 390,245, published on Oct. 3, 1990, to Guido Dervaux, discloses a feeding trough for rabbits or other animals. The trough is covered by a tunnel with apertures having flexible shutters which limit access for young animals that, cannot push open the shutters, but allows older animals (that are strong enough to push back the shutters) to feed. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it does not have a trough or shutters.
As can be seen from the prior art, a feeding device that provides access to food and/or drink of the animal, while maintaining the appearance of the animal is not found. In addition, a device capable of maintaining the appearance of an animal, by reducing the occurrences of regrooming the animal after each feeding or drinking is not found in the prior art. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.